Laser Cutting

Laser cut paper and textiles merge a technology with textiles that we are beginning to see more and more.


We are familiar with Creation Baumann, a Swiss company that developed curtains that we've seen in Interior Design magazine among other publications.

ENERGY is a laser cut, three-dimensional curtain that looks more like a hanging sculpture than a fabric. It transforms light through a series of slits and ridges, which at a glance are reminiscent of geometric feathers. “A voluminous fabric”, ENERGY is a paper-like material whose construction method is mysterious but intriguing.

Creation Baumann has an extensive collection of extravagant modern textiles that put traditional tweed to shame. The company is sustainably minded, optimizing water management, energy consumption and the use of chemical products along every step of the textile chain. Creation Baumann has been awarded the coveted Oeke-Tex Standard 100 certification, which is a globally uniform testing system that guarantees safe and ecologically sound principles along all stages of textile manufacture—from raw material production to final product. The Oeke-Tex Standard 100 certification also guarantees end products are free from harmful substances like formaldehyde, pesticides, heavy metals, chlororganic carriers and all allergy-inducing dyes and colorants.
by Amanda Smith

We've also seen laser cut fabric at Art Basel Miami in 2008. They featured a giant laser cut tent!

Laser cutting is not limited to cut-through shapes, but the lasers can also be controlled with the depth of a laser cut, creating sculptural relief on almost any surface. Helen Amy Murray, a London-based textile designer, experiments with this technique on leather.

photo by Camila Diedrich

On the other end, artist Piper Shepard created paper creations that appear to be laser cut. Its attention to detail, and repetitive nature in pattern on the surface make you believe that it is laser cut. However, her designs are completely hand cut!

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